Department for Transport

Railways: Compensation

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the compensation announced for Govia Thameslink Railway and Northern Rail passengers will be paid on the basis of the emergency amended timetable or on the basis of the full new timetable that was intended to be implemented from 20 May.

baroness sugg: The special compensation scheme for passengers on affected routes on Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and Northern (subject to agreement with the board of Transport for the North) will ensure that regular rail customers receive appropriate redress for the disruption they have experienced. The industry will set out the detail of the eligibility requirements. In the meantime, passengers are encouraged to apply for Delay Repay. On Northern, Delay Repay compensation will be paid on the basis of the emergency amended timetable that was introduced on 4 June 2018. On GTR, Delay Repay compensation will be payable in relation to claims that are submitted either against the May 2018 timetable or in relation to the train service in place on the day the passenger travelled.

East Midlands Trains

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to reinstate the timetabled East Midlands Trains services that stopped at Bedford and Luton during peak hours prior to 20 May.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport is continually reviewing the service in the peaks from Bedford and Luton. Peak calls on East Midlands services have been removed temporarily until December 2020. The Department will continue to work with the rail industry to see if these calls can be reinstated earlier.

Railways: Wellingborough

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how long the replacement bus service for passengers from Wellingborough during peak hours will be in place.

baroness sugg: The temporary rail replacement bus service that will run during peak hours between Wellingborough and Bedford is due to operate until December 2020. This is because we are investing in the biggest upgrade of the Midland Main Line since it was completed in 1870. The Department for Transport and rail industry will continue to review this to see if it is possible to reinstate the train service earlier than this date.

Railways: St Albans

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to conduct an analysis of the overcrowding on peak hour trains from St Albans to London under the new timetables.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport cannot currently provide an assessment of the impact of May 2018 timetable changes on overcrowding on St Albans services, as performance of the new timetable has been too unstable to allow for an accurate assessment to be made. The service provided since the start of the new timetable has been unacceptable and it is the Department’s overriding priority to restore reliability following issues with timetabling.

Railways: Compensation

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the compensation announced for passengers on Govia Thameslink Railway and Northern Rail will include compensation to those people who have purchased tickets but are unable to board their scheduled trains because of overcrowding.

baroness sugg: The special compensation scheme for passengers on affected routes on Govia Thameslink Railway and Northern (subject to agreement with the board of Transport for the North) will ensure that regular rail customers receive appropriate redress for the disruption they have experienced. The industry will set out the detail of the eligibility requirements.

Railways: Timetables

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Transport saw the minutes of the Industry Readiness Board when it examined the new rail timetables; and if so, what action, if any, he took as a result.

baroness sugg: Department for Transport officials attended the Thameslink Timetable Industry Readiness Board. Minutes of meetings were not circulated to the Secretary of State.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Burma: Armed Conflict

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the report by the Karen Peace NetworkThe Nightmare Returns: Karen hopes for peace and stability dashed by Burma Army's actions, published in April, and to reports of the displacement of civilians following fighting between the Burma Army and the Karen National Liberation Army.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government has been deeply concerned by recent fighting in Karen State and the resulting displacement of thousands of people, which has resulted in severe humanitarian need. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific made clear on 17 May the Government's concern about the situation in Karen State, calling on all parties to cease fighting; allow access for humanitarian aid; and abide by the National Ceasefire Agreement.

Burma: Crimes against Humanity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether UN documentation of attacks on ethnic groups in Burma provides evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UN Fact Finding Mission's interim report of March 2018 confirmed the Burmese military was primarily to blame for the widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya in Rakhine State during August and September 2017. The Foreign Secretary has stated that while this may amount to genocide, only a court can make that determination. The UK has ensured the UN Security Council has called on the Burmese authorities to hold those responsible to account. The Government welcomes the 31 May announcement by the Burmese Government of a Commission of Inquiry and will be pressing for it to be conducted transparently and independently in order to meet international concerns.

Burma: Crimes against Humanity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the government of Burma about the culture of impunity which has enabled the Burmese military potentially to carry out crimes against humanity, and (2) international partners about holding perpetrators to account through international judicial mechanisms.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government consistently calls on the Burmese authorities to hold to account members of its military responsible for human rights violations. The UK Ambassador to Burma called on the Commander in Chief of Burma's military to endorse an inquiry into human rights violations in Rakhine in their meeting of 3 May. The UK has discussed the applicability of international justice mechanisms to the situation in Burma with a range of international partners. Following the UN Security Council's visit to Burma the UK worked with partners to agree a joint UNSC press statement that called for Burma to fulfil its commitment to holding accountable perpetrators of violence. The Foreign Secretary also discussed this with his G7 counterparts, together calling on Burma to establish a clear pathway toward accountability for the atrocities committed in Rakhine State in the G7 Foreign Ministers communique.

Burma: Crimes against Humanity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with international partners about the reintroduction of targeted sanctions directed at members of the Burmese military who have been involved in ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Minister for Asia and the Pacific secured agreement at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 26 February for the introduction of targeted sanctions on individual senior military officers responsible for serious and systematic human rights violations. EU member states established the legal framework for the Burma sanctions listing on 26 April. We expect individual listings to be adopted by the EU at an upcoming Foreign Affairs Council this summer. Through our work on Burma at the UN Security Council we have assessed that there is currently insufficient support for UN sanctions.

Burma: Armed Conflict

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for human rights of the breaking of the 2012 ceasefire in Burma’s Karen State.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Government has been deeply concerned by recent fighting in Karen State and the resulting displacement of thousands of people, which has resulted in severe humanitarian need. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific made clear on 17 May the Government's concern about the situation in Karen State, calling on all parties to cease fighting; allow access for humanitarian aid; and abide by the National Ceasefire Agreement. The UK will continue to encourage progress through negotiations towards a nationwide peace settlement.

Qatar: Jabhat Fateh al-Sham

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent allegations that Qatar has funded Al-Nusra over a considerable period, and has channelled money through General Soleimani and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards; and whether they will investigate the operations in the UK of the Nectar Trust and the Islamweb website.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has proscribed Al-Nusra as a terrorist organisation and we are clear that no one should fund them. Qatar regulates the flow of money from its charities to prevent terrorist financing through their cross government Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities. The Charities Commission of England and Wales regulates the UK operations of Nectar Trust. The UK is working closely with its partners in the Gulf on countering terrorism and violent extremism, this includes work in the charities' sector.

Middle East: Water

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect that the Red Sea–Dead Sea Water Conveyor pilot project to begin operation.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government is not aware of a date for the Red Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyor pilot project to begin operation. This remains the subject of negotiation between the parties concerned. The Government remains supportive of all efforts to promote cooperation between Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan.

Turkey: Torture

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the government of Turkey about the wounding and alleged torture by soldiers on 3 May of Nasir Taş, Ramazan Aktaş, Ismail Erebi, and Muhsin Çavişi, of Korgan village in Hakkari Province; and whether they will call for a full independent investigation.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of press reports of the alleged assault by Turkish military personnel on these four men in Hakkari Province. We regularly urge the Turkish authorities to respect the human rights of all civilians in the course of anti-terror operations in South-Eastern Turkey, and to support the rule of law.

Yemen: Military Intervention

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian consequences and the implications for the peace process of an attack by Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates backed troops on the city of Hodeida in Yemen; and what action they are taking, both bilaterally and multilaterally, to prevent such an attack.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are in regular contact with the Coalition about the need to ensure that any military operations in and around Hodeidah are conducted in accordance with international humanitarian law, including in relation to the protection of civilians, and do not disrupt commercial and humanitarian flows through the port. The Coalition has assured us that it is incorporating humanitarian concerns into operational plans. It is vital to maintain the flow of food, fuel and medical supplies into Yemen. For their part the Houthis must not compromise port facilities or hinder the humanitarian response.It remains imperative to resume work towards a comprehensive political settlement. Lasting peace and stability in Yemen will require dialogue and negotiation. UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths is due to update the Security Council soon on his proposals for a negotiated settlement. We call upon all parties to throw their weight behind his efforts, for the sake of the Yemeni people and the security of Yemen's neighbours.

Bahrain: Elections

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the upcoming elections in Bahrain following the recent decision by King Hamad to ban political opposition groups.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK closely follows events in Bahrain. We continue to monitor legislation on the limitation on certain individuals standing in Parliamentary elections. The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to ensure upcoming elections are transparent, fair and inclusive.

Najah Ahmed Yousif

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have filed the case of Bahraini female political prisoner Najah Ahmed Yousif under the UK Torture and Mistreatment Reporting Guidance.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office registers details of alleged torture whenever this comes to the attention of a UK official in the course of their duties. We are aware of the case of Najah Ahmed Yousif and have raised it with the Government of Bahrain at a senior level. We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report them to the appropriate oversight body. The UK continues to encourage these bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such claims.

Sayed Alwadaei

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have madeofthe alleged due process violations and coerced confessionsin the trialsofSayed AhmedAlwadaei’sfamily members:HajarMansoor Hassan,Sayed Nazar al-WadaeiandMahmoodMarzooq Mansoor.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Bahrain continues to monitor the cases of Hajar Mansoor Hassan, Sayed Nazar al-Wadaei and Mahmood Marzooq Mansoor. We have raised these cases at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention or legal process to report to the appropriate oversight bodies. We encourage those oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations.

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the construction of a maritime underwater barrier by Israel on the northern edge of the Gaza strip.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Gaza, at the end of May. He met Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Hotovely and Israeli Minister for Regional Cooperation Hanegbi, and encouraged urgent action to improve the situation in Gaza. We also regularly press the Egyptian and Israeli authorities on the need to ensure maximum access to Gaza.

Israeli Settlements

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel following the approval of a further 2,000 settlement homes of which half are in new settlement blocs.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 1 June calling on Israel to reconsider its plans to construct over 3,000 settlement units in the West Bank. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised our concerns about new settlement announcements with the Israeli authorities during his visit to Israel on 30-31 May.

Hamas

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter sent from Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights to Alistair Burt MP on 7 June, whether there will be anindependent investigation into Hamas’ attempts at peace making over the last 15 years and their current position on the two-state solution and Israel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has been clear that we support an independent and transparent investigation into recent events in Gaza, including Hamas’s role and the Israeli Defense Force’s conduct. We have also been clear that we expect Hamas to abide by the Quartet Principles, including recognising Israel and renouncing violence, and to show a commitment to peace. The UK continues to support the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza to restore effective and accountable governance.

Burma: Armed Conflict

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to urge the UN Security Council to call upon Burma’s State Counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi, and the Commander of its Security Forces, Senior General Min Aung, to put an immediate end to violence and to facilitate full, unfettered access to humanitarian aid and international observers; to work for a secure and robust UN Security Council resolution; and to work with regional partners and ASEAN in building multilateral support at the UN with nations and international organisations that have a vested interest in the economic and social welfare of Burma and in maintaining international peace and security in the region.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has consistently maintained UN Security Council attention on Burma. We co-led a Council visit to Burma and Bangladesh in March. We subsequently secured a Council press statement on 9 May which urged Burma to implement its MoU with Bangladesh, grant the UN immediate full access to Rakhine and agree a MoU with the UNDP and UNHCR. We discuss Burma regularly with ASEAN and other regional partners; most recently the Foreign Secretary raised Burma in a call with Japanese Foreign Minister Kono on 5 June.

Turkey: Prisoners

lord balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 4 June (HL8028), whether they will now answer the question asked, namely whether they will make representations to the government of Turkey regarding the continued detention of Seyran Demir and Sise Bingol.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We do not currently plan to make representations over these specific cases. We consistently urge the Turkish authorities to ensure that detainees are guaranteed the right to a fair trial and humane treatment while in custody.

Tekin Ipek

lord balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 4 June (HL8029), whether they will now answer the question asked, namely whether they intend to make representations to the government of Turkey that Teken Ipek, who has been imprisoned for over two years without being charged, should receive swift access to justice and that before his trial consideration should be given to releasing him.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We do not currently plan to make representations over this specific case. We regularly encourage Turkey to ensure that detainees are guaranteed the right to a fair trial, and to grant release from pre-trial detention where appropriate.

Nuclear Disarmament

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the international agreement over nuclear weapons in Iran and the meeting of the United States and North Korea in Singapore on 12 June, they have any plans to consult all UN Security Council members with a view to promoting the maximum possible reduction in existing nuclear weapons throughout the world.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​As a responsible Nuclear Weapons State, the UK remains committed to a world without nuclear weapons. We continue to work with partners across the international community towards creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons. The Government welcomes the Singapore Summit of 12 June as an important first step towards securing a denuclearised North Korea. We hope this marks the beginning of a substantive process, leading to concrete actions from North Korea towards complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation. The UK will continue working with our international partners to strictly enforce existing sanctions. With Iran, the UK remains committed to full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action by all parties. More widely, the UK continues to play a leading role to resolve the considerable technical and procedural challenges involved in nuclear disarmament verification where we work with a range of international partners including non-Nuclear Weapons States.

Syria: Armed Conflict

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to initiate talks to relieve the Syrian crisis on (1) a faith basis, (2) an ethnic basis, and (3) a political basis.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK continues to work for a negotiated, inclusive peace settlement for Syria which would protect all Syrians, regardless of their faith, ethnicity or political affiliation. We already strongly support efforts by the UN and the Syrian opposition to involve ethnic and religious minorities in the UN-mediated peace process. We also engage with faith leaders and a diverse range of organisations in the UK and the Middle East to discuss efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in Syria.

Bahrain: Protest

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 7 June 2017 (HL8193), what assessment they have made of whether the meetingat which five protesters were killed in Diraz in June 2017 constituted an illegal gathering; and what assessment they have made of the comment by a UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in a letter to the government of Bahrain dated 9 June 2017 that the response of that government to protests in Diraz amounted to the “criminalisation of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression”.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We understand that the investigation into the deaths of protesters during the security operation to clear the gathering is ongoing. We urge a swift and thorough investigation by the Bahraini Public Prosecution.

Bahrain: Detainees

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have had any communications with the government of Bahrain regarding the case of Zakeya Albarboori and Fatema Dawood Juma; and if so, what representations have been made regarding their arrests and subsequent disappearance.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Bahrain has a continuing dialogue with the Government of Bahrain and all Bahraini human rights oversight bodies. Officials are seeking clarification over the cases of Zakeya Albarboori and Fatema Dawood Juma.The UK encourages those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the relevant human rights oversight bodies. We urge these bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations. The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its international and domestic human rights commitments.

Bahrain: Detainees

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware of the organisation responsible for carrying out the arrests of Bahraini female activists Zakeya Albarboori and Fatema Dawood Juma on 17 May.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Bahrain has a continuing dialogue with the Government of Bahrain and all Bahraini human rights oversight bodies. Officials are seeking clarification over the cases of Zakeya Albarboori and Fatema Dawood Juma.The UK encourages those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the relevant human rights oversight bodies. We urge these bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations. The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its international and domestic human rights commitments.

Turkey: Emergency Powers

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will call on the government of Turkey to end the current state of emergency before the general election on 24 June.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have consistently urged the Turkish government to lift the state of emergency as soon as possible. We have noted Turkish media reporting that President Erdogan has said publicly that he would end the state of emergency if re-elected on 24 June. We believe that doing so would signal a return towards normality.

Ukraine: Travellers

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the government of Ukraine's undertaking to respond by March 2018 to the UK's request for action to ensure that individuals from Ukraine's Roma community are afforded full and equal access to an education, fair treatment by law enforcement bodies and the judiciary, and a right to acquire a nationality, what response they have received from the government of Ukraine.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK raised the treatment of members of the Roma community during Ukraine's Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations in November 2017. In their response, Ukraine noted that it was implementing the 2013-20 Strategy for the Protection and Integration of the Roma National Minority into Ukrainian Society, including efforts to improve the documentation of the Roma population and school attendance of Roma children. The UK continues to engage with the Ukrainian authorities and non-governmental organisations on this issue.

Eritrea: Mining

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent report by Eritrea Focus to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eritrea,Mining & Repression in Eritrea: corporate complicity in human rights abuses, and its implications for Government policy.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Government has received the recent report by Eritrea Focus. Eritrea remains a human rights priority country under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Annual Human Rights Report. The FCO and the British Embassy in Asmara regularly engages with UK companies, and companies with UK investment, involved in the extractive sector in Eritrea. Discussions include their duty to comply with the legislative and regulatory requirements of operating in Eritrea, and the human rights of Eritrean nationals involved in their operations in Eritrea.The British Government will take appropriate action against companies and/or individuals who fail to comply with the relevant legislation.

Israel: Palestinians

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel since 30 March, to encourage their cooperation with the independent, international commission of inquiry established by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has been clear that we support an independent and transparent investigation into recent events in Gaza, including Hamas’s role and the Israeli DeFence’s conduct. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary expressed concern about the loss of Palestinian lives during the Gaza protests when they met Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in London on 6 June.

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Negligence

lord turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost to the NHS of litigated clinical negligence claims in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS Resolution handles clinical negligence claims on behalf of National Health Service organisations and independent sector providers of NHS care in England.The figures provided do not include claims brought against general practitioners, who are covered by separate indemnity arrangements through medical defence organisations and for which data is not centrally available.NHS Resolution has provided the following information:Payments made on litigated clinical claims closed from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2017 (as at the end of each respective closure year) are shown in the attached table due to the size of the data.NHS Resolution has advised that figures exclude payments for Periodical Payment Orders.



Payments made on litigated clinical claims 
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Department for International Development

Burma: Overseas Aid

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what UK economic aid, if any, is provided to the Burmese army.

lord bates: The UK provides no economic aid to the Burmese Army.

Gaza: Kites

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in its efforts to ensure that the annual kite flying event for Palestinian children in Gaza is allowed to be held this year.

lord bates: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has conducted two kite flying events on the 12 and 13th of March 2018 in Gaza. The event has been taking place since 2012 with the primary aim to raise funds and to send a peaceful message to the world about the importance of protecting the dignity and hopes of Palestine refugees. We recognize the valuable role UNRWA plays in supporting young Palestinians across the region.

Department for Education

Children in Care

lord fink: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children aged (1) five years old and under, (2) tenyears oldand under, and (3) 16 years old and under, were in care in each year between 2007 and 2017.

lord agnew of oulton: The number of looked after children at 31 March in each year by age is available in the attached table.



HL8491_number_of_looked_after_children
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Children in Care

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect the number of children placed in care to rise further, having doubled in the past decade; and what action they intend to take to increase resources available for children's services following the publication of the Local Government Association's estimate of an almost £2 billion funding gap by 2020.

lord agnew of oulton: We want every child to be in a stable, loving home that is right for them. In most cases children are best looked after by their birth families and children are only removed as a last resort, in the interests of their safety. The number of looked-after children has increased steadily over the last nine years. At 31 March 2017 there were 72,670 looked-after children, an increase of three per cent on 2016. We cannot reliably predict future years’ totals. Over the five year period from 2015-16 to 2019-20 councils will have access to more than £200 billion to deliver the local services their communities require, including children’s services. In February, Parliament confirmed the 2018-19 settlement for local government, providing a real terms increase in resources available to local government, from £44.3 billion, in 2017-18, to £45.1 billion in 2018-19. In addition, we are investing more than £250 million in our Innovation Programme and Partners in Practice Programme to help local authorities learn from what works in order to design efficient and effective children’s services.

Apprentices: Standards

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many apprenticeship standards are awaiting approval from the Institute for Apprenticeships.

lord agnew of oulton: This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships. I have asked its Chief Executive, Sir Gerry Berragan, to write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Apprentices

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the barriers to increasing the number of apprenticeship starts.

lord agnew of oulton: We seek the opinions of current and potential users of apprenticeships on a regular basis to identify the impact of our reforms. This includes the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s (ESFA) day to day conversations and departmental engagement with businesses, providers and apprentices which include regular ministerial meetings. Some recent changes that have been made as a result of this continual engagement include introducing flexibility for levy-paying employers to transfer up to ten per cent of their levy to other employers. Furthermore, the Institute for Apprenticeships’ ‘Faster and Better’ process will speed up and simplify standards development. In addition, the ESFA ‘Apprenticeship Service Roadmap’ outlines the most significant developments to the apprenticeship service over the coming months, continuing to deliver improvements which meet employer and provider needs.

Ministry of Justice

Child Arrangement Orders

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what records they keep on the outcomes for children who have been subject to child arrangements orders in the family courts since 2000; and how many of those orders setting out parenting time between a father and his children were broken in 2017.

lord keen of elie: Child Arrangements Orders replaced separate contact and residence orders in April 2014. The Department does not hold information on the outcomes for children who have been subject to such orders in the family courts. This information, including court ordered time with a father, could only be obtained by checking each court file at disproportionate cost. The Department does, however, publish information on the number of children who are the subject of applications and orders for enforcement in private law Children Act 1989 proceedings where a breach of an order is alleged. This is set out in Tables 3 and 4 of Family Court Statistics Quarterly available from www.gov.uk.

Department for International Trade

Import Duties: USA

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to requesting a World Trade Organisation dispute panel be established to settle the dispute with the United States over recently announced tariffs on steel and aluminium.

baroness fairhead: Whilst we remain a Member State, the EU is responsible for initiating and defending trade disputes on the UK's behalf. Therefore, the UK cannot, at the moment, initiate a dispute of its own accord. The EU launched a WTO dispute, challenging US steel and aluminium tariffs on 1 June. The UK fully supports the global rules-based trade system, open and free trade, and measures to tackle unfair trade where necessary.

St Petersburg International Economic Forum

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Fairhead on 30 April (HL Deb, cols 1840–2), which ministers attended the 2018 St Petersburg International Economic Forum; which UK companies that attended the event received financial support from the Government in the last 12 months; what recent proposals they have made to (1) NATO, (2) the EU, and (3) members of the Commonwealth, for additional economic sanctions against Russia; and what response they have received.

baroness fairhead: No UK Ministers attended the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2018; however, Her Majesty's Ambassador to Moscow was present to meet, offer advice and support British companies attending the Forum.Some UK companies exporting to Russia have received support from UK Export Finance (UKEF) over the last twelve months; the Government continues to offer advice to UK businesses exporting to Russia and supports ongoing legitimate sanctions-compliant trade and investment in Russia.UKEF does not comment on transactions before they are supported as this may harm the commercial interests of its customers; where support has been provided and the material is not sensitive, the information is published in UKEF’s Annual Report and Accounts: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-export-finance-annual-reports-and-accountsThe UK currently imposes sanctions on Russia through the EU; since 2014, the UK has had regular dialogue through the EU and with G7 partners on such measures.

Overseas Trade: Israel

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to impose the same trade conditions on Israel as they now impose under the EU–Israel Trade Association Agreement after Brexit.

baroness fairhead: As we leave the European Union, we are seeking to replicate our existing EU free trade agreements and other EU preferential arrangements, so as to ensure continuity in our trade and investment relationships with third countries. This includes the EU-Israel Association Agreement.The Prime Minister met the Israeli Prime Minister in February 2017 and agreed to establish a joint trade working group. In March 2017, my Noble Friend the Rt Hon The Lord Price CVO, the then Minister of State for Trade Policy, visited Israel to chair the first meeting of the working group, which is continuing to make positive progress towards ensuring a smooth transition.

Import Duties: USA

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof the effect that the tariffs on steel and aluminium introduced by the United States will have on the British economy.

baroness fairhead: In 2017 the US accounted for, in terms of tonnage, 7% and 3% respectively of UK steel and aluminium exports in scope of these tariffs, at a value of £360 million and £29 million respectively.We are working closely with the steel and aluminium industries to assess the potential impact of these measures.We remain committed to robustly defending and protecting the UK steel and aluminium industries and its employees. The government will continue to press the US for an EU wide exemption from these unjustified tariffs, in order to ensure our steel and aluminium industries are not damaged.

EU External Trade: USA

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the effect of a potential trade war between the United States and the EU on the UK.

baroness fairhead: The Government is deeply disappointed at the imposition of tariffs on the EU for the export of steel and aluminium.It is right to seek to defend our domestic industries from the damaging direct and indirect impacts of these US tariffs. The government has worked closely with the EU as part of our unified response. The response must be measured, proportionate and within the boundaries of the rules-based trading system, of which the UK is a strong advocate.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Grenfell Tower: Fires

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of Grenfell Tower residents who have accepted publicly funded accommodation, are in (1) temporary, and (2) permanent accommodation; and of those, what percentage live in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The latest data from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) shows that, as of 18th June, 52 households from Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk are living in temporary accommodation, which represents 26 per cent of the total number of households from Grenfell Tower and Walk who have accepted either temporary or permanent accommodation. Of this number, 36 households are living within RBKC, which represents 69 per cent of those living in temporary accommodation.83 households are living in permanent accommodation, which represents 42 per cent of the total number of households from Grenfell Tower and Walk who have accepted either temporary or permanent accommodation. Of this number, 71 households are living within RBKC, which represents 86 per cent of those living in permanent accommodation.All residents have been housed in temporary accommodation locally if that is their preference, and in acquiring permanent properties, the Council focussed on identifying local properties so that survivors can remain in the area over the long-term if that is what they wish.

Social Rented Housing: Construction

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures, if any, they intend to introduce to enable local authorities to access the resources needed to build stocks of social housing.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government wants to support local authorities in delivering a new generation of council housing. In October last year, the Prime Minister announced a long term rent deal for local authorities and housing associations. At Autumn Budget the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that we will raise the Housing Revenue Account borrowing cap by a total of up to £1 billion in areas of high affordability pressure for local authorities that are ready to start building new homes. In March we announced plans to consult on options for allowing local authorities more flexibility in the use of their Right to Buy receipts.Local authorities, as well as housing associations, can bid for funding from the £9bn Affordable Homes Programme to deliver more affordable homes - including at social rent - with funding for social rent targeted at areas with the most acute affordability pressures.Taken together this substantial package of measures gives local authorities the resources, security and certainty they need to plan investment, and deliver their future house building plans.

Buildings: Energy

lord stunell: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to maintain in law the provisions of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive after the UK has left the EU.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The outcome of negotiations with the European Union (EU) will determine what detailed arrangements apply in relation to EU legislation, including the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, in future once the UK has left the EU.

Leasehold

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of protections in place to protect leaseholders in respect of commercial land leased from local authorities being sold to third parties.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Commercial leaseholders are protected if their landlord sells to a third party, as the new owner buys the land subject to the terms of any existing leases. This remains the case whether the original owner is a local authority or otherwise.Local authorities may use ownership of commercial premises to generate a funding stream, and will consider whether continued ownership of assets provides value for money. These decisions are a matter for local authorities, provided they consider best value when making decisions on ownership or sale of assets.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Domestic Violence

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of significant rent arrears accumulating for victims of domestic violence who separate from their partners, given that Universal Credit is paid in equal amounts to both parties.

baroness buscombe: We have made no assessment because we believe that support is in place for individuals who may find themselves in these circumstances. Universal Credit is one monthly payment to a household. If a member of the household leaves due to domestic violence, they can make a new claim to Universal Credit. At this point there is a range of measures to help a victim of domestic violence to prevent the risk of rent arrears, including fast track payments to be made on the same day. If people are in urgent need, we can make payment into an alternative nominated bank, building society, post office card or credit union account. Universal Credit also has provisions for when someone is temporarily absent from their home through fear of domestic violence and abuse. In these circumstances we do not require a permanent address. If the person intends to return to their former home, they can receive their housing costs for both a former permanent home and temporary accommodation for up to a year. If an individual does not intend to return, they can receive these costs for up to four weeks for both properties. There is similar provision in respect of the housing cost element of Universal Credit.

Poverty

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to respond to the report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Destitution in the UK 2018 published in June revealing that there are 1.5 million people living in destitution in the UK.

baroness buscombe: The Joseph Rowntree Trust’s report refers to people who were destitute “at some point” during 2017 not to the number of people living in destitution. This Government will continue with its ambitious reforms to the welfare system so that it encourages people to move into and progress in work, and move towards financial independence. Compared with 2010, there are now around 880,000 fewer adults in workless households and 1 million fewer people in absolute poverty (on a before housing costing costs basis). Of those in the poorest fifth of the population in 2010/11, just over half had moved further up the income distribution 5 years later. The Government is also continuing to help those who face the greatest employment barriers and who are most at-risk of being in severe and long-term low income, for example, through individualised, tailored support from Jobcentre Work Coaches. For people with health conditions or a disability, this support can include early access to the new Work and Health Programme and Specialist Employability Support. As a safeguard for people in urgent need, a well-established system of hardship payments, benefit advances and budgeting loans is in place. We are also considering how we can develop and make greater use of the existing suite of official measures of poverty so that they better identify and track progress on helping those who are most in need of additional support.

Children: Maintenance

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their response to the recent consultation on the new compliance and arrears strategy for child maintenance; whether they will bring forward regulations aimed at improving how the Child Maintenance Service calculates maintenance for paying parents with complex income; and whether theystill planto write off arrears accrued under the Child Support Agency which are owed to receiving parents.

baroness buscombe: We expect to publish the Government’s response within the next few weeks. Regulations to support the strategy outlined in the response will be laid as early as is practicable.

Bereavement Support Payment

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government why cohabiting couples with young children are not eligible for Bereavement Support Payments.

baroness buscombe: Bereavement Support Payment is paid to, and for the benefit of, a surviving spouse or civil partner. Entitlement does not depend on whether or not the deceased had children. Marriage and civil partnerships are legal contracts that are associated with certain rights, including inheritance, recognition in the tax system and entitlement to certain benefits. A key principle of the National Insurance system is that all rights to benefits derived from another person’s contributions are based on the concept of legal marriage or civil partnership.Moreover, proving that cohabitation existed could be a complex process likely to cause distress at a time of bereavement. However, cohabitees do have access to income-related benefits. They may also qualify for help with funeral costs from the Social Fund and may of course choose to provide security for their families by way of private pension or life insurance arrangements.

Children: Maintenance

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths since 2000 have been linked to Child Support Agency cases or cases managed by the Child Maintenance Service.

baroness buscombe: We have interpreted your question to refer to the death, for any reason, of receiving or paying parent who is named on a case managed by the Child Support Agency (CSA) or the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). Data is only available for the 2003 CSA scheme, and for the CMS since December 2015. IIt is standard practice for the Department to be informed of a death and for this to be recorded on departmental systems. It is only possible to identify a death of a case participant where the Department has a National Insurance number for the parent involved and has been informed of the death. Where the Department is informed of a death only the date is recorded as standard practice and as such any link beyond involvement in a case cannot be established. For 2003 scheme cases managed by the CSA there were 71,200 deaths informed to DWP between 2003 and 31st December 2017. For cases managed by the CMS there were 3,500 deaths informed to DWP between 1st December 2015 and 31st December 2017. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest one hundred.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

lord shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they spend on supporting people with disabilities and health conditions; and how much this amount has risen in real terms since 2010.

baroness buscombe: In 2018/19, forecast expenditure on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions is £54.0 billion. This is £9.3 billion more than in 2010/11.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

lord shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how UK public spending on disability and incapacity compares with other G7 nations.

baroness buscombe: As a share of GDP, latest data shows that the UK’s public spending on disability and incapacity is the second highest in the G7. Public incapacity spending in the G7 countries is shown in the table.  Public spending – incapacity-related (per cent of Gross Domestic Product)Germany2.1United Kingdom2.0Italy1.7France1.7United States of America1.4Japan1.0Canada0.8 Source: Social Expenditure Database, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Home Office

Visas: Skilled Workers

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be the terms of reference for the review of Tier 2 visas; and when they expect to announce any changes to the Tier 2 visa policy.

baroness williams of trafford: On Friday 15 June, the Government announced changes to the allocation of places within the Tier 2 (General) cap of 20,700. The change – which will be implemented through amended Immigration Rules coming into effect on 6 July – will ensure that all doctors and all nurses needed in the UK will be able to be recruited to work here without being counted against the cap. This is intended to be a temporary change which recognises the importance of alleviating pressure on the NHS and which creates extra space within the cap for other sectors of the economy.In parallel to this change, we have also commissioned the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the full composition of the Shortage Occupation List.

Emergency Services Network

lord arbuthnot of edrom: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 6 June (HL8104), what steps they intend to take to ensure the Emergency Services Network will continue to operate during a prolonged power outage.

baroness williams of trafford: The Airwave network would continue to operate in the event of a prolonged power outage. A significant proportion of Airwave sites were fitted with additional power resilience to ensure that sites could run for a minimum of 5 days on autonomous power.

Airwave Service

lord arbuthnot of edrom: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ashton of Hyde on 6 June (HL8104), whether the existing emergency services communications network, Airwave, would operate during a prolonged power outage.

baroness williams of trafford: ESMCP is working with representatives from the emergency services to determine which elements of the Emergency Services Network require resilience enhancements in addition to those that have already been delivered. All ESMCP suppliers are required to have business continuity plans in place, and resilience against extended power outages is achieved using a range of technical solutions that include tow to site and fixed generators and batteries.

Domestic Violence

baroness barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will (1) respond to the consultation on, and (2) publish the Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill announced in the Queens Speech on 21 June 2017.

baroness williams of trafford: On 8 March we launched a 12 week public consultation on proposals for a landmark domestic abuse Bill and a supporting package of practical action to transform the response to domestic abuse. The consultation closed on 31 May. Over 3,200 responses to the consultation were received. The responses to the consultation are being considered and a draft Bill will be published later this session.

Homosexuality: Convictions

lord cashman: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pardons have been applied for under the Policing and Crime Act 2017 pardon scheme for gay men; of those, how many have been granted; where applicants have not been pardoned, whether reasons have been given; and if so, what were those reasons.

baroness williams of trafford: Pardons under Section 165 of the Policing and Crime Act 2017 are granted automatically when an individual applies successfully for a conviction to be disregarded. To date, there have been 174 pardons granted through this route, from 404 applications for convictions to be disregarded.If a disregard application is unsuccessful, the applicant will receive a letter detailing the reason for rejection. Most applications are unsuccessful as the convictions concerned are for ineligible offences, such as theft. Applications are also rejected if the activity was non-consensual, involved a person under 16, or remains an offence.Full statistics are regularly published on gov.uk.

Police: Training

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what training, if any, UK police unitshave received from the Israeli Defence Force in methods of crowd and riot control.

baroness williams of trafford: The training of police in England and Wales is a matter for the College of Policing and individual Chief Constables.

Refugees: Syria

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what use has been made of the £36 million exceptional costs fund which forms part of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme.

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the budget for the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme remains available to be spent.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office has budgeted £36 million for the exceptional costs fund for the lifetime of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. As at 31 December 2017, £2.4 million of this had been claimed by local authorities against a budget to date of £17 million. The funding is available to help local authorities with exceptional costs which we anticipate will be predominantly for social care, housing adaptations and special educational needs. We continue to work closely with local authorities and healthcare providers to help them claim eligible exceptional costs.£242m has been allocated to the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme between 2015/16 and 2017/18. At 31 December 2017, expenditure of £157.5m had been recorded.

Immigration: Interviews

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to adopting the McKenzie friend role during immigration interviews.

baroness williams of trafford: There are no plans to adopt the McKenzie friend role during immigration interviews. An applicant will normally be interviewed alone or in the presence of a legal representative or regulated adviser, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Home Office: Reorganisation

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to engage an outside agency to deliver a restructure of the Home Office.

baroness williams of trafford: Her Majesty’s Government has no such plans.

Domestic Violence

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to (1) respond to the consultation on, and (2) publish the Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill announced in the Queen's Speech on 21 July 2017.

baroness williams of trafford: On 8 March we launched a 12 week public consultation on proposals for a landmark domestic abuse Bill and a supporting package of practical action to transform the response to domestic abuse. The consultation closed on 31 May. Over 3,200 responses to the consultation were received. The responses to the consultation are being considered and a draft Bill will be published later this session.

Immigration

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 14 May (HL7540), whether spouses of EU citizens from countries outside the EU will be included in the right to free movement in the UK; and if not, how they reconcile the statement that "family members will be able to join EU citizens on current EU law terms" with EU law determining that those spouses may have access to the applicable EU state.

baroness williams of trafford: The references to “family members” and “close family members” in the Written Answer of 14 May (HL7540) include those from countries outside the EU.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Borders: Northern Ireland

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will address concerns by EU officials regarding the UK’s backstop proposal for the Irish border.

lord callanan: The Government published a technical paper on customs setting out the UK’s proposal for a temporary customs arrangement between the UK and EU as a backstop solution for the Northern Ireland and Ireland land border, that would only come into force in specific and narrow circumstances. It is in line with Joint Report commitments on avoiding a hard border and maintaining the constitutional integrity of the UK.It remains the UK’s intention to negotiate an overall economic relationship with the EU that avoids the need for this backstop.Michel Barnier confirmed that he had not rejected the UK’s proposals. Discussions on the temporary customs arrangements have already begun and we look forward to making progress.

Construction: Migrant Workers

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible effect of Brexit on the recruitment of foreign workers in the construction industry.

lord callanan: We have been clear that following our exit from the EU, we will continue to welcome those with the skills, drive and expertise to make a positive contribution. We are also committed to avoiding labour shortages in key sectors.The Government has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to gather evidence on patterns of EU migration and the role of migration in the wider economy, ahead of our exit from the EU. The MAC will build on the significant analysis already underway in Government, but we want the MAC’s credible, independent advice to inform our decisions on our future immigration arrangements.The MAC is due to report in September 2018 and the Government will take account of their findings when making final decisions about our future immigration system.

Treasury

VAT

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on6 June (HL8105), which categories of crown bodies using the single series of VAT registration numbers are in the private sector.

lord bates: VAT legislation does not distinguish between different categories of crown body. Any crown body making taxable supplies of goods and services is treated in the same way as any commercial business.

Brexit

lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been allocated from the £3 billion earmarked in the November 2017 Budget for2018–20 to public bodies in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to assist with the costs of leaving the EU; and, of these provisions, how much will be available for border policing and security in Northern Ireland.

lord bates: My Written Ministerial Statement[1] of 13 March 2018 set out that UK departments have been allocated £1.5bn to prepare for EU Exit and meet their responsibilities across the whole of the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Home Office was allocated £395m, which includes funding to take the steps necessary to prepare the UK border. Where responsibilities are devolved, this generated Barnett Consequentials for each of the devolved administrations as set out in my Written Ministerial Statement.   [1] https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Lords/2018-03-13/HLWS521/

Cryptocurrencies

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have raised with the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority, or any other regulatory authority, the question of whether crypto currencies should be classified as an investment rather than as a currency and regulated as such.

lord bates: The government has established a Cryptoassets Taskforce, consisting of HM Treasury, the Bank of England, and the Financial Conduct Authority to explore these questions further. It is looking at the impact of cryptoassets, the potential benefits and challenges of the application of distributed ledger technology in financial services, and assessing what, if any, regulation is required in response. The Taskforce will report back by the end of summer.

Pensions: Advisory Services

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they estimate the lack of competition in the pension advice market has cost pensioners; and whether the Financial Conduct Authority or the Competition and Markets Authority have raised concerns about the lack of competition in the market for pension advice.

lord bates: The Government has acted to support the development of a market that provides consumers with affordable and accessible pensions advice. That is why the Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched the Financial Advice Market Review (FAMR) in August 2015. HM Treasury and the FCA have, as part of FAMR, identified a range of indicators, to understand the demand and supply of financial advice in the market and establish a baseline. These include issues such as the cost of advice, number of firms in the market, consumer engagement, and reasons for not taking advice[1]. HM Treasury and the FCA will be carrying out a follow-up exercise in 2019 to see the extent to which issues in the market have been addressed. FAMR also proposed remedies to improve supply of affordable advice in the market. These included setting up an Advice Unit by the FCA to provide firms developing large-scale automated advice models with regulatory support to help bring these to the market more quickly. Automated advice has the potential to provide affordable advice to the mass market, with some existing models charging a fixed fee of below £500. The FCA has also been considering various issues regarding consumers who do not take advice in relation to their pension. They published the interim report of their Retirement Outcome Review[2] last year and will publish its final findings shortly. The government will be following the FCA’s findings closely.  [1] https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/research/financial-advice-market-review-famr-baseline-report[2] https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/market-studies/retirement-outcomes-review

Pensions: Advisory Services

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the risks to those seeking early redemption of Pension Funds from the lack of competition in the market for pension advice.

lord bates: The Government recognises the importance of people being able to access affordable financial advice, especially when making decisions about their life savings. This is why the Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched the Financial Advice Market Review (FAMR) in August 2015, to explore how the financial advice market could work better for consumers. FAMR made 28 recommendations, all of which the Treasury and FCA have either completed or are on track to complete. The Government believes that taken together, the measures will improve the market for pension advice and make advice more accessible and affordable. Financial advice is particularly important for people seeking early withdrawal of their pension savings as the Government imposes a charge on early withdrawals, which can be from 40% to 70% depending on the circumstances. For the majority of savers, pension contributions are tax-free and this pensions tax relief is one of the most expensive reliefs in the personal tax system. The charge on early withdrawals is therefore in place so the Government can recoup this tax relief, to ensure there is an incentive to save for the long-term. To further support people who wish to make decisions about their defined contribution pension, the government has set up PensionWise, which provides free and impartial guidance.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Mobile Phones

lord arbuthnot of edrom: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ashton of Hyde on 6 June (HL8104), what systems are in place across existing mobile networks to ensure that they continue to operate during a prolonged power outage.

lord ashton of hyde: DCMS works closely with industry to ensure that telecoms, as one of the UK’s critical sectors, is both secure and resilient. This includes work to ensure that security and resilience plans are updated and developed as technology changes and to reflect key risks and contingency planning. The industry-led Electronic Communications Resilience & Response Group, which DCMS supports and facilitates, is a cross-government and industry partnership that leads on resilience activity in the telecoms sector as a whole and considers a range of security and resilience issues including power loss.